The inventions disclosed herein generally relate to mobile plume cases. More specifically, they relates to a mobile phone case with an integrated retractable headset, and optionally a rechargeable battery with a matching charge cable.
Mobile phones, especially smart phones are the most frequently used consumer electronics nowadays. A headset is often a necessary accessory as the cell phone owner uses it to listen to calls, music or movies stored or streamed to the phone in a quiet and enjoyable fashion. The headset is usually carried separately from the phone itself. For a headset with a cord, it is often a hassle as the wire could become intertwined when put in a bag or the user's pocket. They are often misplaced as well as people carry the phone around.
To solve the intertwining issue with the cord and occasional misplacement problem, some has proposed a headset with retractable and extendable cord. Such a headset rolls the cord around a spring, loaded reel. By pulling the cord from both sides of the reel, it solves the intertwining hassle to some extent. But such a standalone retractable headset has its own problems. The earbuds and plug, cord are typically exposed and prone to scratch the phone when stored together in a bag or pocket. Additionally the storage box for such headset could also scratch the phone. If stored separately from the phone, such a headset is prone to being misplaced or lost. The storage boxes are frequently cumbersome and can make the user's ears uncomfortable or accidentally pull out the earbud while the headset is in use. Wireless headsets, such as the Bluetooth-enabled headsets, do not have the intertwining cord problem, but their size is generally bigger and prone to being misplaced or lost as well.
Others have invented cell phone cases with integrated headset. One is disclosed in U.S. Patent Pub. No. 20010035242 filed by Hughs et al. However, the design in Hughs requires a replaceable storage box on the back of the cell phone case. It essentially attaches a storage box with a retractable headset. Such a design is artistically undesirable and adds additional weight, and makes it less comfortable to carry the phone case.
Yet in another design disclosed in U.S. Patent Pub. No. 20130129138 filed by Washington. The headset in Washington is not truly an integral part of the case. The earbuds are hanging out of the case through a hole with the cord attached to a ratcheted reel in the case. Again, it appears to be artistically undesirable and makes the earbuds prone to be scratched or even cut off from the case.
In sum, innovative solutions are needed to solve these issues and shortcomings with current designs of retractable or integrated headset for mobile phones.